Tile prepared from materials such as slate, marble, granite, other types of stone, or various ceramic materials are commonly used as flooring materials due to their decorative appearance and long wear characteristics. Despite these advantages, commonly used tile materials such as stone or ceramic are generally relatively brittle and may not be capable of withstanding substantial bending or tensile loads.
As a result of the foregoing characteristics, the use of tile has historically necessitated somewhat elaborate and extensive installation techniques. For example, tile generally cannot be installed directly over a common wood structure or subfloor, since the support provided by the wooden structure is insufficiently rigid and/or stable. This is due to the tendency of wooden structures to settle over time, to expand, contract or warp due to variations in temperature or moisture, and to flex when subjected to localized loading of the type caused by a person walking on the floor. Such dimensional variations can lead to cracking of many tile materials over a period of time.
To solve the foregoing problems, conventional installation of tile has traditionally involved preparation of a rigid, dimensionally stable base layer which is generally formed by applying a cementitious foundation over a subfloor, which may be wood, brick or one of many other common building materials. The cementitious material is typically applied over wire or a metal grid for additional rigidity. More than one layer of the cementitious material may be necessary to achieve the necessary rigidity. A skim coat of the cement may also be necessary to provide a surface having a sufficiently flat surface for application of the tiles.
Preparation of the cementitious layer is laborious and time consuming. Moreover, since special skills and/or added cost are normally necessary to prepare the cement, and sometimes to add structural reinforcement to a typical wooden floor because of the weight of the cement, traditional tile installation methods are beyond the grasp of ordinary persons working on home improvement projects. Thus, the services of skilled artisans are usually required. Also, after the cementitious base has been prepared, the tiles must be laid, usually by application of mortar, and grout must be applied or worked between the tiles. These steps also require employment of skilled craftsmen.
The foregoing activities can require several days to complete, which, due to the labor involved and delay, makes tile installation quite expensive. In particular, the expense involved in conventional tile installation may be out of the question for many individuals desirous of home improvement projects.
In recognition of the foregoing problems, one attempt to facilitate easy and quick installation of tiles is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,418 to Bartoloni. The Bartoloni '418 patent shows a pre-finished decorative rigid panel in which tiles are set on a fibrous backing that is impregnated by a plastic resin to bond the tiles to the backing support. However, while the Bartoloni '418 patented panel shows fixing of the tiles in a desired pattern, it may not adequately eliminate the need for preparation of an underlying rigid support, especially if the panel is to be installed above a relatively flexible wooden floor and thereafter subjected to localized loading stresses. Also, the Bartoloni '418 patented tile panels do not include means for interlinking adjacent panels or absorbing stresses between adjacent panels.
Another approach to the foregoing problems is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,932 to S. J. Cable. The Cable '932 patent shows a tile and grouting assembly in which a frame or lattice is provided for retaining ceramic tiles in place. However, the Cable '932 assembly does not eliminate the need for an underlying cementitious backing but merely eliminates the requirement for grouting between the tiles.